Coating machine



Nov. 7, 1 944. N. PELOSI 2,351,959

comma MACHINE Filed Nov. 23, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Nov. 7, 1944. N, PELOSI COATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 2 R. m l N w k m \\\N\ N\ Q w w a NM r R w a M Q v Q m R ma I J uf\\ Q c m nw 3 R .I. Q Nw v R L Q QR y 4 m 7 AX I 7 m mww R91 3 wM w M a YJLMZ g) I A IT L EY Nov. 7, 1944. N. PELOSI COATING MACHINEFiled Nov. 25, 1940 ."s Sheets-Sheet :5

INVENTOR. M

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 7, 1944 COATING MACHINE Nicholas Pelosi, Newark,N. L, assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y.-, a corporationof New Jersey Application November 23, 1940, Serial No. 366,921

- and treating machine embodying the present in- 2 Claims.

This invention relates to coating machines .and the like for applying acoating such as parafiln Wax to 'the' surfaces of fibre containers andhas particular reference to the manner of oscillating a freshly coatedcontainer while it travels through a treating chamber of the machinewherein the coating is set evenly on all surfaces of the container.

In the manufacture of coated fibre milk containers of the characterdisclosed in United States Patent 25085979, issued July 6, 1937, to J.M. Hothersall, the container is preferably immersed in a bath of moltenparaflln wax so that the interior and exterior surfaces'of the containerare thoroughly covered. After such a coating opera tion the excess waxis usually drained away and the container is then conveyed through atreatwax is setting.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a coatingmachine wherein the freshly coated containers are conveyed through atreating chamber and guided along their path of travel by twisted trackswhich causeparts of the conveyor to deviate from a straight path andthereby oscillate the containers sidewise to in sure an evendistribution of the coating material on all surfaces of the container as'it is solidified.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the abovecharacter wherein a coated container is supported by a carrier or cageand guided by a bar along devious paths of travel while such a cage andguidebar engage thein connection with the accompanying drawings,

discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a container coating both the interiorvention, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken substan- Fig. 6 isa view similarto Fig. 5 but taken substantially along the line 66-in Fig. 4 andshowing another position of oscillation.

As a preferred embodiment of the present invention the drawingsillustrate the principal parts of a coating and treating machine adaptedfor applying a coating of paraflln wax or the like to a fibre milkcontainer of the character previously referred to or to other types ofcontainers. 1

A container of the type referred to is indicated in the drawings by thelatter a and is provided with a closing element 11 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3)which-is-hingedly secured to the container top by a wire staple. Theclosing element is arranged to fit in part into and to close a fillingand dispensing opening 0 located in the top wall of the container whenit is sealed for shipment or.

storage.

The containers at enter the machine in a horizontal position incontinuous processional order (as at A, Fig. 2) and are fed by acontinuously moving coating coating conveyor B. The coating conveyorcarries the containers with their closing elements open, through acoating chamber C and then down into a bath of suitable coating liquid,preferably molten paraflin wax which is contained in a tank reservoir D.After immersion into the paraffin bath the conveyor carries thecontainers back over the top of the reservoir,

while turning them into an inverted position, to

permit c'omplete draining of excess paraffin from 1 and exteriorsurfaces of the container.

when the containers are fully drained they arerotated over the top ofthe conveyor B to the .oppositeside and seton end in an -up- I rightposition (as at E, Figs. 1 and 3). Adjacent the entrance end of themachine the coated containers are transferred from the coating conveyorB to a treating conveyor F (Figs. 1 and 3).

chamber G wherein filtered and substantially sterile air at a chillingtemperature is contlnuously circulated. While traveling Tthrough thischamber andbefore the paraffin wax is fully set and hardened thecontainers are subjected to a sidewise oscillating movement so that .thecoating is evenlydistributed on all surfaces of the container as it isalso simultaneously filled with a charge of filtered and substantiallysterile air.

Immediately following the oscillating movement and the charging withsterile air, each container is'closed by having the hinged closureelement b swung in so that its stopper part enters into the containeropening.. Continued chilling of the containers completely sets theparaflin coating and thereby seals the inserted part of the closureelement thus trapping the charge of filtered sterile air inside of eachcontainer. This completes the coating and closing operation and thecontainers are thereafter discharged from the machine. The containerscoated in this manner are moisture-proof and when sealed-their innercoated surfaces are protected and kept free from contamination and in ahermetic condition 7 prior to delivery to the dairy or other packer.

The various operating parts of the machine are entirely enclosed byplates of cast and sheet metal which in themselves constitute a part ofthe framework of the machine. These plates are 2,861,939 The treatingconveyor F passes into a treating frame II. The upper track 24 ismounted so that the upper run of the conveyor will be substantiallyhorizontal, while the lower track 25 is inclined downwardly to directthe lower run of the coating conveyor down into the parafin tank D. I

The 'paraflin tank D extends nearly the full length of the conveyor Band is preferably made of sheet metal supported on angle irons securedto the legs l2 of the machine. Above the tank a sheet metal drip orsplash pan 28 is provided and forms an upwardly flaring extension of thetank side walls. Liquidsuch as molten paraflln is introduced andcontained in the tank in any suitable manner.

A steam Jacket 28 is formed to surround the bottom'and side walls of thetank. The outer walls of the steam jacket are in spaced relation to thetank walls. The paraffin in the tank is maintained in a moltencondition'at a predetermined temperature by steam which is circulatedthrough the spaces between the tank and the jacket wall. A steam inletpipe 3| is connected to the jacket wall to conduct steam into the Jacketspace from a suitable supply ource. The molten paraffin in the tank Dalso heats the coating chamber C through which the containers a are inturn secured to a main frame H and the plates The coating conveyor Bwhich receives the containers to be coated extends. the full length ofthe machine. The pockets i 3 in the turret I4 and the receiving pocketsl5 in the conveyor B are arranged to receive the containers in a'horizontal "position.. The length dimension of the containers extendstransversely of the machine. Fig. 2 of the'drawings shows the top end ofthe container a with the closure element 1) in an open position withpart of the opening c exposed. I

The coating conveyor B comprises a plurality of.V-shape buckets I6(Figs. 1, 2 and 3), which are semi-circular in cross section and which.are connected together by pairs of links to form an endless chain. Thisconveyor travels over and is driven by chain sprockets located atopposite ends of the machine.

A main drive chain sprocket "is mounted on a horizontal conveyor driveshaft it. This shaft is journaled in bearings i9 formed in the wall of aconveyor housing 22 which is supported on legs [2 of the machine. Theinner end of the drive shaft is carries a spur gear 23 through whichsuitable driving power may be imparted transferred by conveyor B. Thistends to preheat the containers 0 prior to being coated.

Proper advancement of the container a is effected by suitably spaced andparallel guide bars 32 (Figs. 1 and 2); These guide bars are supportedatintervals along: the conveyor by brackets 33 secured to the conveyorhousing 22. A guide bar 34 is positioned adjacent-the guide bars 32 andis also supported by the brackets 38. Guide bar 34 keeps the. closureelement b of a container win open position as it is being transferreddownwardlyinto the parafiin coating tank.

The entire container is submerged in the paraffin as it proceeds alongits path of travel and the moltenparaffin enters the container throughits open dispensing hole c. The guide bars also guide the wax coveredcontainer as it travels upwardly out of the paraflin and as' it passesaround the sprocket onto the upperrun of the conveyor. Preferably,somewhere along this run the guide bars are twisted so that the coatedcontainer may be rocked and drained, then turned into upright positionwhile being carried along in the v- V shaped conveyor pockets.

travel back along the upper run of the conveyor for a predetermineddistance so that the excess to rotate the shaft in proper time relationwith other moving parts of the machine.

The conveyor B is guided in a straight path of travel by an upper guidetrack 24 and a lower track 25. These tracks are secured to verticalbracketsj26 (Fig. 2)- formed on cross beams 21,

the ends of which are supported on the main 75' The turning and rockingmotions thus imparted to a container partially filled with moltenparaflin may drain off.

Following the draining period,-the containers are rotated upon thesemi-circular buckets lBinto an upright position; i. e., seated upon thebottom end. Upper guide bars at are provided to further guide thecontainer along its path of travel while in an upright position. Aseparate guide bar 38 which is parallel to and spaced apart from guidebars 35' continues to hold the closure ele-. ment b in open position.The guide bars 35. 36

are supported by brackets 31 which are secured to the conveyor housing22.

The coated containers are now carried back toward the container entranceend of the machine where they are discharged from the conveyor B by atransfer device which is best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of thedrawings. This transfer device includes a rotatable turret 38 which ismounted on a vertical shaft 38 joumaled in bearings 42 formed ina lowerweb section 43 of the main frame and in a cover plate 44 which issecured to an upper web section 45. a

' At the upper end the shaft 39 carries a spur gear 48 which meshes withand is driven by a gear 41 mounted on the upper end of a vertical driveshaft 48. The drive shaft 48 is joumaled in bearings 49 formed in theweb sections 43, 45 and in a lower cover 52 secured to a'dependingportion of a web section 53. At its lower end, the drive shaft 48carries a gear 54 which is suitably driven by the main drive of themachine.

' The transfer turret 38 is provided with a plurality of V-shapedpockets 55. A turret pocket comes into alignment with a coated containera in a bucket ii of. theconveyor B and receives such container from theconveyor. A curved guide plate 58 disposed adjacent the periphery of thepocket. The fingers are pivotally mounted andare formed with twoangularly disposed prongs '58 which are adapted to bear down and rest onthe top of the container. -Each arm carries a cam roller 59 whichtraverses a cam groove 62 of a stationary cam 83 secured to the coverplate 44 of the machine frame. It is the angular prongs 58 of thefingers that rest on the containers as the turret 38 transfers thecontainers onto a treatv ing conveyor F. This conveyor moves in timewith the transfer turret.

Conveyor F is parallel with and adjacent to the coating conveyor B andincludes an endless chain (Figs. 1 and 3) which moves in a horizontalplane on spaced sprockets located in' suitable manner. One of thesprockets is shown in the drawings designated by the numeral 84. It ismounted on and driven by the shaft 48.

At spaced intervals of the treating conveyor chain, container cages 65are .provided. Each conveyor cage is adapted to receive a coatedcontainer a and to support it in a vertical position. The container doesnot present a flat side to the front but'is in angular position duringits advancement so that one corner is the leading edge. Two lower prongs68 of the cage contact the lower edge of the container while two sideprongs 61 are arranged to engage the side walls of the body. Theengaging prongs are designed so that they touch the container in aminimum surface contact so as not to mar the exterior coating of thecontainer. v

The back wall of the container cage 65 is adapted to be connected tolinks of the conveyor chain and two laterally extending arms 88 areprovided (Figs. 1., 3, 5 and 6) for the purpose.

Intermediate link sections 88 properly space adjacent container cages. Aroller 12 is inserted between the two arms 68 and provides for engag'ement with the teeth of the sprocket. A pin or stud l3 secures thearms together and the chain roller is mounted on the pin. Thisconstitutes a non-friction roller chain for the conveyor.

The treating conveyor F travels through a treating chamber of themachine and it is here that the coated containers (1 are treated- Inorder to maintain the conveyor generally in a horizontal planeandfurther steady the cages with their containers, upper and lower guidetracks l4, 15 are used. Upper and lower rollers '18, 1! are mounted atthe back of the container cages and are arranged to operate in thespaced apart upper and lower guide tracks.

At the top, cage 65 is formed with a lug I8 which supports a stud l8.Roller I6 is rotatably mounted on the stud and travels within a groove8| of the upper guide track 14. The lower roller I1 is rotatably carriedupon a laterally extend-1 ing stud 82 secured to the lower back wall ofthe cage 65. The roller I1 is formed with spaced annular flanges 83which straddle a center section or shoulder 84 on the lower track 15 andkeep the roller on its track.

-The upper and lower tracks 14, 15 .(Figs. 1 and 4) extend as a straightsection into the treating chamber G and are then in vertical alignment.At a junction point just inside the treating chamber, the upper track 14is twisted inwardly and the lower track 15 is twisted correspondinglyoutwardly for the purposeof deviating the course of the container cagetravel and this results in shifting the container a sidewise as it iscarried along by the conveyor (Fig. 5).

As the conveyor further advances the container,

the cage which holds the container is shifted back in the oppositedirection passing through its vertical position and this brings thecontainer to the opposite side or into the position shown'in Fig. 6.From this position a further twist in the tracks l4, 15 brings thecontainer into a final vertical position, when the upper and lowertracks are again in vertical alignment.

The paraflin coating on the container a gradually changes from a moltenstate into a set condition as the container is subjected to thisoscillating movement while traveling through the treating chamber.'These oscillations therefore tend to distribute the paraffin evenly uponall surfaces of the container. Such even distribution is particularlydesirable for and retains each container it within its cage as it isoscillated through the various positions along its path of travel. by abracket 89 secured to the vertical wall 81 of the treating chamber.

The filming and solidification of the paraflln goes on whilesubstantially sterile air is introduced into the chamber to contact withthe containers. The container coating is just setting and the containeris reaching the end of its travel This guide rail is supported thesterile airfllled container. .This closing eleinent is sealed by theparaflln which fully sets as the container is being discharged from themachine. The containers are thus in proper hermetically sealed conditionto be delivered to a customer. 7

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the'form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. Ina machine for coating containers with paraflln and the like, thecombination compriscoating material to containers, means for drainingsubstantially all excess coating material from said containers, ssetting course whereon congelation is effected of coating materialremaining on the walls of said drained containers, a conveyor operablealong said course, cages secured to and movable with said conveyor andadapted to receive containers from said draining means, each of saidcages being provided with prongs adapted to support with minimum contacta coated and drained container, parallel upper and lower track sectionsadjacent said conveyor and having twisted portions along said course,guiding devices substantially parallel to said twisted trackportionsfior retaining the containers within said gg asemso when theclosing element!) is pressed down into cages when movingalong saidcourse, and rollers mounted on; said cages and operable on whilepositively constrained by said tracks to support and guide the movingcages whereby oscillation back and forth of said cages and containerstherein is eflected by said twisted track to distribute said coatingevenly while setting on the walls of said containers.

2. In a machine ior coating containers with paraflin and the like, thecombination of means for applying an excessive amount of coatingmaterial to containers, means for draining substantially all excesscoating material from said containers, a setting course whereincongelation is eflected of coating material remaining on the walls ofsaid drained containers, a conveyor operable along said course,container holding means secured to and movable with said conveyor andadapted'to receive containers from said draining means, parallel upperand lower track sections disposed adjacent said conveyor and havinstwisted portions along said course, guiding devices disposedsubstantially parallel to said twisted track portions for retaining thecontain- .ers within said holding means when moving along said course,and means mounted on said holding means and operable while positivelyconstrained by said track sections to support and guide said movingholding means, whereby oscillation of said 30 tainers. i I

NICHOLAS P2114081.

